Here are some photo's of old KCFD 19. Pumper 19 and Truck 7. This was the last classic fire house in the KCFD. Although all new fire houses have fire poles again they are just not the same as Old 19's. Built as a WPA building in 1939.
Globe's are now mounted with steel sign in the day room of new 19's.
Classic original bay lights.
Classic map on back of the watch desk
Two remaining steel fire poles.
Bunkroom with two remaining steel fire poles. The holes were originally hexagon three total one by P19 one by T7 and this one in the photo. Note the square hole cut when the other two were removed. They removed two poles when they divided the bunkroom and placed AC in each room.
This is one of most well designed fire houses I have visited. They have great access to the machines below from two fire poles. Administration and the Machines are on the first floor. All living quarters and the training room are on the second floor. The laundry and work out rooms are in the basement.
Looking toward first floor administration and tool room rear wall and the Kitchen Day room Fire Pole
Thanks for those pics Rick. I havent had the chance to stop in to the new house yet. I like how they have incorporated some features in the new from the old. Its wierd seeing Brentwood in a new house, the old one is going to be missed, my dad was there for 22 years.
Heres the former Brentwood station. It currently sits empty, but word is the city's library will expand into the space. The far right on the building is City Hall.
Finely able to get out on the road again. Hit the southern most boundary of the metro. About 45min from Kansas City, Missouri proper is Ottawa, Kansas Fire Department. Ottawa is fully career protecting 12,700 people from two fire houses. They have six firemen on duty each day. Four fireman on Engine 2 at Fire House One and Two fireman on Engine 3 at Fire House Two. They respond to fire, life threatening ems, and entrapment alarms.
Ottawa Fire House One
built 1979
Note: Built as a five bay the bay closest to living quarters enclosed during Public Safety era from 1980-1990.
Note: The fire bay was added on to the county ambulance barn. The fireman share living quarters with County EMS. The partnership has worked well over the years.
Rick, did Garnett purchase all of Olathe's former rigs at once or over a few years' period? That's unique that it worked out that way, of having all-Olathe apparatus.
Rick, did Garnett purchase all of Olathe's former rigs at once or over a few years' period? That's unique that it worked out that way, of having all-Olathe apparatus.
[/quote]
It is very unique. They actually purchased OFD Shop #61001 or Engine 1 first. It was one of three identical Cyclone Pumpers that OFD purchased in 1988. It was such a good rig when OFD Shop #61004 Engine 5 came up for sale they bid on it. They have been pleased with both of the Engines. The other big selling point is Olathe sells the rigs fully equipped. You can pretty much back it in and place it in service. They actually originally bid on one of the twin 1998 E\-One Hurricane Quints and lost the bid. The 1998 Quints were decent rigs for being Quints and had spec improvements over the 1996 Quints. Garnett then was offered by a independent broker one of the twin 1996 E\-One Hurricane Quints after OFD had sold them. The 1996 Quints had various mechanical issues over the years and Garnett has continued to experience those issues. It also didn't help that the 1996 Quints took the place of busy OFD Engine Companies and in addition to other issues had the wheels ran off them. That is why OFD turned both of those companies back to standard Engines. Garnett has a very uniform fleet and easy operation since all rigs are share a similar design, not to mention the look very uniform.
They all look good, I was very happy to see Engine 1 and Engine 5 since I spent quite a lot of time on them. Towanda, Kansas has one of the triplets and the other triplet was donated to some where in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. I was sad to see it go so far away. The triplets were the first rigs purchased with Cummins Motors so they don't have that classic fire engine sound.
Thanks for the info., Rick! I just saw the pics of the Garnett rigs under the apparatus threads. They look great! Glad some department that really needed new rigs was able to get these.
Note: In classic fire house fashion the white halogen lights over each door just did not fit fire house tradition. The firemen replaced the clear lens with RED lens thus continuing the universal sign of a fire house RED lights outside the bay doors.
Glad too see the days of Lawrence Green gone, those RED machines look sharp!!!
Note: Three bays are original, smaller two bays were added when the ambulance service was started. Ambulances currently run into the alley from the rear double wide bay.